These Are The Aussie Festivals Named Among The World’s 300 Best For 2016

Fest300 Magazine has just released a list of The World’s 300 Best Festivals, with a number of our Australian faves making the grade. The epic list, which includes everything from major music festivals like Glastonbury to cultural events like the Fiesta de San Fermín, has truly cast a wide net ranking festive gatherings in seven different regions.

In Australia’s case, we were lucky enough to have nine festivals listed in the top 300. The usual big music festival names like Byron Bay Bluesfest and Splendour In The Grass were there. As of course were the cultural institutions like the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras and barbarous excuses for mass intoxication like the Melbourne Cup Carnival.

Round up your festival people and continue the festive celebrations – check out the @bluesfestbyronbay BOXING DAY special! Score 20% of tickets for the next 72 hours! Hurry allocation is limited (link in profile ☝️) #boxingday #christmas #festiveseason #byronbay #bringoneaster

A photo posted by Bluesfest (@bluesfestbyronbay) on Dec 25, 2015 at 12:51pm PST

Thanks to @sydneymardigras for this fabulous photo of teamGSA our Event Coordinator Manager @alexigallo and our friend french director @nicolas_panasci of Wish for Tomorrow hugging each other with love and our giant Taylor Square flag flying with PRIDE in the background. Be Proud ( Gay Sydney Australia ) Be Kind to one another ( Ellen Degeneres ) Mardi Gras Parade 2015 Mardi Gras Parade 2016 @sydneymardigras #gaysydney #sydneymardigras #sydneygays #sydneygayandlesbianmardigras #teamgsa #gayaustralia #gayaussies #instagay #gaysydneyaustralia #gsa

A photo posted by Gay Sydney Australia Official (@gaysydneyaustralia) on Apr 1, 2015 at 6:59am PDT

However there were plenty of more niche entries including the Darwin Beer Can Regatta and Alice Springs’ Camel Cup. Bush doofs and raves were also strong in attendance with Rainbow Serpent (recently threatened to be shut down by police) and Strawberry Fields both making the list. Even Stereosonic, with its deaths this year and uncertain future made the list.

Meanwhile indie darling festivals like St Jerome’s Laneway and Meredith Music Festival are conspicuously absent.

:: Beer Can Regatta Festival ::

A photo posted by Ratna Dyah Suryaratri (@suryaratri) on Apr 4, 2015 at 5:31pm PDT

What an amazing weekend, thank you beautiful people!! We’re already looking forward to #rsf2016 #rainbowserpentfestival #rsf2015 #lexton #victoria #australia #festival

A photo posted by Rainbow Serpent Festival (@rainbowserpentfestival) on Jan 27, 2015 at 2:22am PST

Put together from votes by festival fans and attendees from around the world, the diverse list of events reflects the global trend away from large festival brands to more boutique events offering unique experiences.

Looking over the entire list it’s clear that the EDM mania the ruled the festival circuit a few years ago has been overtaken by a focus on curated lineups and events that offer immersive experiences beyond just music and art programming.

Check out the list of Australian entires below and see the full list of festivals for yourself here. First though, marvel at this amazing footage from the Camel Cup in Alice Springs.

A video posted by Jessy Stewart (@jessystew) on Jul 11, 2015 at 3:44am PDT

Australian and Oceania Festivals Named On Fest300’s List

Byron Bay Bluesfest
Camel Cup
Darwin Beer Can Regatta
Galungan
Heiva I Tahiti
Melbourne Cup Carnival
Mount Hagen Cultural Show
Naghol Land Diving
Queenstown Winter Festival
Rainbow Serpent Festival
Splendour in the Grass
Splore
Strawberry Fields
Stereosonic
Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras
World Buskers Festival